Donald Trump Convict for money Bribery, scheduled for January 10

The lack of clarity regarding Trump's Conviction the Bribery of money case may be cleared up on January 10. The New York judge has scheduled the sentencing just 10 days ahead of Trump's upcoming inauguration on January 20.

In an 18-page Outcome verdict, Judge Juan Merchan sustained Donald Trump’s conviction by a New York jury, turning down various motions from his defense team to set aside the conviction.

Despite the judge's suggestion that he was not leaning toward jail time, Merchan clarified that Trump, the first ex-president to be convicted of a crime, could be present at the sentencing either physically or via virtual means.

Merchan's verdict solidified the conviction, rejecting the defense's efforts to void the judgment. He further suggested that, rather than a prison term, he was inclined to opt for an unconditional discharge, meaning Trump would not be bound by probation or additional conditions.

Even so, the sentence would lead to Trump entering the White House as a convicted felon. "At this moment, it seems right to express the Court's tendency not to impose any incarceration," the judge remarked, adding that prosecutors also did not find jail time to be a “workable suggestion.”

In answer, Trump dismissed the judge's decision on social media, calling it an “illegitimate political maneuver” and labeling the case a “fixed spectacle.”

Trump was sentenced in May on 34 felony charges involving falsified business records, centered around a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The charges originated from efforts to hide payments made to his ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, who paid Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged sexual affair with Trump leading up to the 2016 election.

Trump has steadfastly denied any illegal activity and entered a plea of not guilty, arguing that the case was a partisan strategy to sabotage his 2024 presidential race.